Platform or step



(No Model.)

P. H. STANWOOD.

PLATFORM 0R STEP.

No. 892,891. Patented Nov. 18, 1888.

II II 171MHz Ear/12149327110002 Ans uyz l orne rm} STATES iINiTE FRANK H. STANWOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PLATFORM OR STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,891, dated November 13, 1888.

Application filed June 11, 1888. Serial No. 276,726. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. Sranwoon, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Platforms or Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to articulated or openwork platforms or steps the body whereof is formed of flat thin metal strips set edgewise, and belonging to the general class of such structures described in my Letters Patent No. 382,331, dated May 8, 1888, and more particularly to the variety of such steps or platforms shown in my application, Serial No. 266,129, filed March5, 1888.

The main feature of the present improvement is found in the means adapted to interlock the abutting parts of the thin metal strips, thus rendering them mutually helpful in sustaining the weights whichmay come upon them and permitting the employment of fewer strengthening-rods than would perhaps be otherwise required;

The nature of the invention is fully described in the accompanying drawings and the following description, and in the former Figure l is an elevation of the stairs or steps of a railway car. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof in the line '2 2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and Bare partial sections on the lines 3 3, 4 4, and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

In said drawings, A represents the carplatform, and B B the hangers or side rails of the steps. These steps are formed of tread portions composed of thin metallic strips 0,

- bent alternately to opposite sides of a straight line, with the apices c of the angles formed therein by the bending, flattened, as clearly illustrated, and more especially at Fig. 5, so that such apices form a good bearing-surface when the strips are assembled edgewise, as shown, in a surrounding frame, D, with the apices of each strip abutting against those of its neighbor strips. Instead of bending the strips so as to form corners or sharp bends, they may be made wavy and placed alongside of each other in the same way.

shown in my said pending application, and

the principal feature of my present improvement will now be described. Each of the abutting portions or apices of the various thin metallic strips should embrace about three-eighths of an inch of the length of the strip where the mesh is about one inch long, and in this bearingsurface I stamp a small nib,f, without, however, weakening the strip by puncturing through the metal, such nib being convex on one side and concave on the other. I then assemble the strips,taking care that the convex side of the nibs upon the apices at one side of each strip shall lie within the concave side of the nib upon the apices of one side of the next adjoining strip, as clearly shown in Figs-3 and 5. The nibs 1" may be stamped into the metal strips by the same machine which bends them. When thus as sembled with the nibsin interlocking engagement, each strip helps to sustain the weight resting upon its neighbors, and thus to stiffen the structure and prevent deflection when it is stepped upon.

At G is shown a bracket secured to the end of the'frame by bolts or rivets and provided with an upper flange, g, a lower flange, h, and a ledge, t, the latter affording a rest for the step, and the flanges acting as means of attachment to the hangers by which the strip is Supported.

While I have illustrated my present invention as applied to car-steps, I do not wish to be limited to such use, because it is obvious that by changing the form and dimensions it can be adapted to any sort of vehicle, and even be used as a stationary step or platform.

I claim 1. The step or platform consisting of thin metal strips bent alternately to either side of their abutting apicos provided with interlocking nibs, and the strengthening-rods E, substantially as specified.

FRANK II. STANWOOD. \Vitnesses:

EDW. S. EVARTS, H. M. DIUNDAY, 

